Swati Avasthi and Carrie Mesrobian visit South High

Swati Avasthi and Carrie Mesrobian visit South High

Last week Young Adult authors, Carrie Mesrobian and Swati Avasthi visited South High to talk to students about their books and their writing lives for "I Love to Read" month.  Both of their books are up for the 2014 Minnesota Book Award.  I seriously wish they both could win.

Carrie and Swati took South High by storm with their funny stories and their writing advice.  They started out speaking to a large audience in the auditorium.  Then they had lunch with teachers and then spoke to a poetry class about writing.  Students in this class reported that they learned a lot about the writing craft.

This was Carrie's first invitation and speaking event at a school.  She thinks the title of her book, Sex and Violence is scaring the librarians and teachers away.  South High is proud to hold the title of being her first school!! Yahoo.  The teachers at my school love her book.  She told students about how the title was chosen for her book and we looked at alternate book covers.  Carrie is so laid back and funny that she would make a welcome visitor to any school.  Carrie teaches creative writing at the Loft Literary center in Minneapolis.

Swati talked about her two books Split and Chasing Shadows and her past life as a (almost) lawyer.  Swati showed a slide show of alternate book covers and brought up the issue that people of color are rarely put on book covers.  It was super interesting and something important that students rarely think about.  I loved both of her books.  Swati teaches creating writing at Hamline University in St. Paul.

Swati and Carrie are friends and write together with a writing group at a coffee shop on Tuesday's.  Together they make a great speaking team.

Carrie will be a featured Author in the Spotlight later this year where I will interview her and review her books.  Swati was recently featured in February so be sure to read the author interview and book reviews of Split and Chasing Shadows.


Sending out a big THANKS to both Swati and Carrie!  We would love to have you back to speak at our school.  How does your schedule look for next year?

Go check out their books.  You will love them!